U.S. Sen. Richard Burr, the top Republican on the Senate Veterans Affairs committee, said today he looks forward to questioning President Barack Obama's nominee for a job in the Department of Veterans Affairs.
Obama has nominated Tammy Duckworth, the director of veterans affairs for Illinois, to be an assistant secretary in the federal agency, Barb Barrett reports.
She would cover public and intergovernmental affairs. She would oversee programs for homeless veterans — an interest of Burr's — and be in charge of public affairs and intergovernmental relations.
Duckworth, a major in the Illinois National Guard, was a favorite to be chosen for the federal Cabinet position. She also was reportedly on a list of possibilities to take Obama's Senate seat. She served in Iraq and was wounded when the helicopter she was piloting was shot down, resulting in the loss of both her legs.
"Tammy Duckworth has certainly made enormous sacrifices in her service to our country," Burr said in a statement. "I look forward to her confirmation hearing and plan on asking her about her thoughts and ideas on how we improve care for our veterans."
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